jbtusa is quite right, and I doubt cloth was used extensively even in the 18th century, though tow rag may have been used. For more information go to: [url][url]http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/search?q=TINDER+FUNGUS[/url][/url]

Hello everyone. This is my first post as I just joined. I would second or third the idea that char cloth was not common. It was probably used in a home but even then a fire was not allowed to go out. Coth was costly in terms of time needed to produce. The thing I have found as a collector of antiques is that tinware of the 18th and early 19th century could not be used to char anything. The nature of the construction allowed for the thing to come completely unsoldered and fall apart when heated without fluid inside. Anything used for char material must be chared outside of a container to be authentic. If you want to use cloth, hold it with tongs and expose the cloth to a flame until it blackens. If it catches fire, blow the flames out. When black, throw it into your empty tinder box and close the lid to extinguish any fire or sparks.

_________________" A godly man and his rifle deprive sleep from the wicked, A christian man who prays is the defeater of evil, A praying man who will fight is the conqueror of nations and the hope of the oppressed "

I could see how these would be true. Cloth was expensive and properly hard to get on the frontier so I can see why they wouldn't want to make it into charcloth. Punk wood and fungus were available naturally in the woods.

Stands to reason why use up a item like ( cotton cloth ) if you don't have to.

_________________" A godly man and his rifle deprive sleep from the wicked, A christian man who prays is the defeater of evil, A praying man who will fight is the conqueror of nations and the hope of the oppressed "